AKRON, Ohio -- FirstEnergy Corp. is back in the light bulb business -- with nine "free" compact fluorescent bulbs to customers who ask for them.

Unlike the public relations fiasco of four years ago, when FirstEnergy planned to have two CFL bulbs hand-delivered to every customer, the latest bulb give-away is part of comprehensive energy efficiency program.

In fact, a customer who wants the bulbs will find that they are part of a "conservation kit" that includes a "smart" power strip equipped with a surge protector, a couple of LED night lights and a device for the furnace that whistles when the filter needs replacing.

Consumers are still paying for the bulbs and the rest of the materials in the kit -- whether they ask for them or not. But it's much less than the more than $21 estimated in 2009 for two bulbs.

The cost of the kits to a residential customer using an average of 750 kilowatt-hours per month is about 19 cents per month, said FirstEnergy spokeswoman Jennifer Young. That's 19 cents a month through Dec. 31, 2015 -- or about $6

A coalition of environmental and energy efficiency groups fought the company over the program in months of haggling at the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio before it was approved in March.

"This program is a very old type of program," explained Nolan Moser of the Ohio Environmental Council in an interview Friday. "It made sense back when nobody knew what a CFL was and maybe did not understand the basis of energy efficiency.

"It's not as good as what we suggested, working with retailers to help mark down the prices of advanced lighting and not as good as offering LEDs, which we proposed," he said

Martin Kushler, a senior fellow at American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy, or ACEE, voiced a similar sentiment.

"Mailing out CFLs is generally regarded as an antique approach." he said. That was a lot more common 20 yeas ago. Utility lighting programs have moved way beyond. They are now market driven, working with retailers and distributors to offer instant in-store discounts."

But FirstEnergy's argument that its customers would take advantage of the bulb offers was based on market surveys that apparently were well founded.

"We began this program on April 30," Young said. "About 100,000 conservation kits have been ordered already. The numbers continue to grow. The kits are a way of getting these things at no additional cost. "

Young added that the company is partnering with several big box retailers -- Costco, Sams Clubs, Walmart, Home Depot and Lowes -- to reduce the price of every EnergyStar-rated CFL by $1 and every EnergyStar-rated LED by $5.

"There are 129 stores across our Ohio service territory that we have partnered with," she said.

The bulb offer comes at an odd time for FirstEnergy because the company's lobbyists are trying to persuade state lawmakers to modify or scrap energy efficiency mandates, which have hurt the company's bottom line.

The conservation kit is part of an overall energy efficiency program the company has developed to comply with those rules, which the legislature approved in 2008 and the PUCO adopted in 2009.

The cost of the overall program, which includes programs for consumers, commercial and industrial customers, is about $249 million through 2015.

How much of that is the consumer shouldering?

A consumer using an average of 750 kilowatt-hours per month is paying $1.24 extra per month through Dec. 31, 2015. That's about $40 over the 30 months

That charge funds rebates on appliances, air conditioners, home energy audits and other services that can be found here.

To learn more about the conservation kit program, call the Ohio Kit Enrollment Number: 1-877-639-0218. The call center's hours are Monday through Friday, 9:30 a.m.-7:30pm, and Saturdays from 10 a.m.-1p.m . Customers can also enroll here.

Related Stories

Top Workplaces

Sun News Feature

It’s Your Business is a Sun News feature compiled by the business owners themselves to spotlight local small or new businesses on topics such as the business’ specialty product or service, history and any plans for the future. ... Tell us about your business»

Follow Us

cleveland.com is powered by Plain Dealer Publishing Co. and Northeast Ohio Media Group. All rights reserved (About Us).The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Northeast Ohio Media Group LLC.